Fifth wheel for connecting tractors to different types of trailers



March 7, 1933. c. H. LAND ET A1.

FIFTH WHEEL FOR CONNECTING TRACTORS TO DIFFERENT TYPES 0F TRAI LERSInventors Attorney March 7, 1933. Q H. LAND ET AL 1,900,115

FACTORS TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAILERS FIFTH WHEEL FOR CONNECTING TFiled March 5, 1952 -ysheets-Shet 2 I' ma E. g Inventor.:

Attorney March 7, 1933.

C. H. LAND ET Al.

ERS

FIFTH WHEEL FOR CONNECTING TRACTORS TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAIL ssheets-sheet 5 Filed March 5, 1932 By l 1 Attorney Patented Mar. 7,19/33I UNI-TED STATES PATENT oFFicE CHARLES H. LAND, GROSSE POINTE, ANDWILLIAM H. WILSON, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN FIFTH FOR CONNECTING TBACTOBS TO DIFFERENT OF TBALEBS I.Application filed. March 3,

This invention relates to an adaptable fifth wheel for tractors and is.designed for connecting the hauling vehicle to diderent types ofsemi-trailers.

t Semi-trailers are provided with supporting wheels at the rear end, andat their front end are fitted with supporting legs which arey eithermanually or automatically raised upon coupling the tractor to thetrailer.

rllhere are in general use several types of tractor-trailersrespectively equipped with either upstanding or depending hing-pinswhereby a coupling engagement may be obtained betweenthe hauling vehicleand the trailer.

`t is therefore desirable to provide a fifth wheel for the tractor,which may be quickly adapted for coupling with diilerent types oftrailers.

or hauling vehicle, equipped with a king-pin which may bel raised to anupstanding position to engage coordinating mechanism carried by atrailer,to effect a coupling relation between the tractor andtrailer,-said kingpin being adapted to fold down out oi" the way inorder that the locking mechanism carried by the tractor may be coupledwith a de- 3@ pending king-(pin carried by a trailer.

A further object of this invention is to provide the fifth Wheel memberof a tractor with a locking device, adapted to couple the trailer with adepending king-pin or other coordi- 5 nating element carried by thetrailer ;-the

fifth wheel being also fitted with a lever mechanism for releasing thelock, and means for holding the lock in av retracted position 'until thecontacting position of the trailer upon the 40 fifth Wheel of thetractor is such that the trailer automatically releases the lock where--by it may engagefthe king-pin or other coordinating coupling element ofthe trailer. A further object of this invention is to pro- 1" vide thefifth wheel member on the tractor with a foldable king-pin havingcentral telescopic driving'pin for actuating 'a trailer supporting legelement, thatthe legelement r may occupy either a supporting or anon-sup- "9 porting position as required.

'lhe primary object of the present invention is to provide a fifth wheelfor the tractor Ataken on or about line 2- 2 of Fi i932. seriai No.596,518.l I

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention further resides in the combinationandarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the sanne ln the drawings accompanying thisspecin cation:

Figure l is a plan view of a lower ith wheel member adapted to berigidly attached to a'plate secured to a tractor frantic,-includ-7 ing aking-pin which may be swung from an operative vertical-position, into'ahorizontal inoperative positiona-a portion oi? the plate being brokenaway,-with parts in sect-ion,- to more clearly disclose theconstructionu Figure 2 is a side elevation and sectional view takenon orabout line 2--2 oit Figure la, showing the fth wheel in a horizontalposition,-and in dotted lines the hi'th wheel as when normally inclinedrearwardly due to its unbalanced weight, to' receive the forward end ofthe trailer,also the relation of the loclractuating lever to the lochL1Figure 3 is a side and sectional view taken on or about line 3 3 ofFigure l, with a hing-pin in vertical position that it may engage acoordinating element carried by the trailer;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sideelevation of the fifth wheel viewed fromthe dotted line 4 4 of Figure l in the direction indi- 85 i cated by thearrows. y f

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the swingingking-pin and its inclosing sleeve,showing i-n dotted lines the king-.pinheld in retracted position therein,- by a locking ping-indicated indotted lines. Figure 6 isa vertical sectional view through thevfifth"whetl of -atractor when tilted,-

re 1-and showing diagrammatically a agmentary side elevation of atrailer, fitted with a depending king-pin, ascending the fifth wheel ofthe tractor as when entering into coupling relation with the latter. IFigure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sections view through the iifth wheel ofa tractor, and the trame of a trailer, coupled to the fifth wheel of thetractor, with the folding kingpin of the tractor rocked to a horizontalinoperative position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a trailer, including a latchmechanism, securing the swinging king-pin of the fifth wheel of atractor in locked coupling relation with the trailer.

`lligure 9 is a fragmentary'cross-sectional view of the fifth wheel of atractor and the locking latch of a trailer, taken on or about line 9 9of Figure 8, showing the .lockable king-pin of the tractor elevated andlocked in coupling relation with the trailer by the spring actuatedlatch carried by the trailer,

the telescoping driving pin ofthe king-pinsee ligure -having beendepressed.

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a trailer,its forward endbeing partly in SeCtiOm--mounted upon the fifth wheel o a tractor, witha fragmentary portion oit the latter shown in dotted lines. y

lligure 11 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating another type oftrailer adapted to cooperate with the tractor coupling member,-the legsof the trailer being lowered to support' the forward end of the trailer,which is shown disconnected from a tractor.' ligure 12 is a fragmentarycross-sectional view taken on or about line 12--12 of Figure10,--showing the telescopic driving pin of the hinged king-pin,extending into the spiral g groove of the driving shalt.

Referring now to the reference numerals placed upon the drawings zl Thegeneral structure ot the fifth wheel is similar to that in use atthepresent time.

The numeral 1 indicates a main tilting table having inclined walls 2, 2at its rear end forming a wedge-shaped opening divergiiig from achannel-like passage 3, having a semi-circular wall 4 at the forward endkot the channel to receive a dependent kingpin l'on a trailer 50 andalso to form a positioning semi-circular wall 'for a folding kingpin 5,when in an upright position. Yilhe kingpin is pivoted between bracketwalls 6, 6

depending .from the underside of the tilting' table.

Numerals 7, denote sleeves, slidable on bars 8, 3 against draft springs9, 9 and are pivotally connected to brackets 19, 10 by means of pins 11,11 journaled in the hubs 12, 12 of the brackets. 'The draft springs 9, 9

Y are retained by lugs 13, 13 projecting from the ,tilting table. Thedraft springs 9, 9 are held in position by nuts 14, 1d.

Supported in the fifth wheel member is the folding or pivoted king-pin5. lt comprises an inclosing sleeve 15 with a projecting rim 16 at itsouter endand spaced substantially midway therefrom is a projectingshoulder 17.

,readme The lower end of the sleeve is pivoted and keyed at 181 to ashaft 18 journaled between the bracket Walls 6, 6 depending from theunderside of the tilting table. A stop lug 19 is provided at its lowerend to limit the folding or swinging movement of the king-pin.

rlelescopically fitted in the inclosing sleeve 15 of the king-pin is adriving pin 20, having slots 21 at its lower end to permit the drive pinto be compressed sufficiently that the upper face of the driving pin maybe substantially flush with the outer sleeve or kinglll.

T he driving pin is also bored to receive a coiled expansion spring 22which serves to force the driving pin outwardly when required. 'lhisspring is seated on the shaft 18,

extending throughY the bracket walls 6, 6 and:

the sleeve 15 of the king-pin,-to which it is keyed.

rllhe upward movement of the driving pin is limited by means of atransverse pin 23 supported in the wall of the sleeve.

rllhe telescopic driving pin 2O is provided with two peripheral grooves24 and 25 spaced apart that they may respectively receive the end of aspring actuated locking bar-bolt 26 to secure the driving pin in itsprojected or retracted positions, in relation to the end of the sleeve.y

rllhe locking bar-bolt 26 is supported in lugs 27,27 projectingdownwardly from the tilting table and at one end projects through atapered hole 28`in the sleeve to assist in guiding it into therespective peripheral grooves 24. and 25. The locking bar 26 is providedat its outer end with a handle 26a `to facilitate its manual operation.

Mounted on the projecting end of the shaft 18 is acoiled spring 29, withone end of the spring extending through a transverse hole in the end ofthe shaft, the other end of the spring extends into an aperture providedin one of thebracket walls 6, see Figure 5,- depending from theunderside of the tilting ta le pin into an inactive position as shown inFigures 1 and 2, when the tractor is coupled to a trailer fitted with ade endin king boltsee Figure l(-or other li e cou ing member.

Alocking device 30 is provi ed to hold the folding king-pin in itsupright position which also serves as an engaging means for a dependentking-pin l-see Figures 6 and 7, carried by the trailer.

'll-his locking device consists of a dat. latch bolt 31, Wedge-shaped atone end as indicated at 32 and recessed at the other as shown at 33,see'lqigure" 1, to receive an expansion spring 34C bearing at its outerend against an end plate 35 of the housing 36 bolted to the underface ofthe tilting table.

The lower wall of the latch bolt housing is Slotted at 36u-see Figure7-to permit the The springiis designed to throw the kingl 60 with'biakeoperating mechanismr-not movement of a pin 37 screwed into the lowerface of the latc bolt and is provided with a shoulder 37 at its outerend to retain a lever 38 oked around the bar.

e lever 38 has a'yoke-shaped construction at its outer end and ispivotally connected by a pin 40 to a vertical trip pin 41 supported in asuitable housing 42 in turn bolted to a downwardly extending wall of thefifth wheel, see Figures 1, 2 and 6.

The lower end of the trip pin 41 projects throu h the housing that itmay bear upon the p ate 43 on which the brackets 10 of the a fifth wheelare mounted. I

An expansion spring 44 is heldvby a stub `pin 45 'projecting downwardlyfrom the tilting plate and a stub pin 46 projecting upwardly from thehousing N42.

- The tilting table has a flange 1a projecting downwardly from its outermarginal edge,

see Figures 1, 2,4 and 6, forming a shoulder 1h to secure the lever 38when withdrawing the yspring actuated latch 31 from locking enagementwith gthe king bolt or other coorinating coupling means carried by thetrailer. The numeral 50 indicates diagrammaticali ly a trailer fittedwith a depending king-pin 51 bolted to a plate 52 riveted to the sidechannel-rails of the trai/ler and forming at its forward end aprojecting arcuate-shaped skid 53 secured to t e cross-member of thetrailer frame.

A spring actuated latch 54 having a bevelshaped end is supported in ahousing 55 bolt ed tothe plate 52. v

A pull rod 56 screwed tothe end of the v.latch bolt extends through thelatch housing, a hole in the frame of the trailer, and 'a lug in abracket 57 attached to the frame of the trailer. l A lever 58 is pivotedto the bracket 57 and is 'plrovided with a removable pin` 59 `for detacably connecting the lever with the pull 45 rod 56. -The lever 58 isconnected by cable shown. Y. v e L t A Swingin' pawl 61 overlapping thespring actuated atc 54 holds the latter in retracted osition untilreleased by the thrust of` a ing-pin against the pawl when entering intocou lm relation with the tractor, the spring atch thereupon becomeseffective'to lock the king-pin in coupling relation'with @5 thetrailer.1

Having indicated the several parts by reference numerals, theconstruction and oper-v ation ofthe device will be readily under'- 60When itis desired to couple the tractor to trailers equipped with locksfor upstanding king-pins, the parts on the fifth wheel may be qulcklyadjusted to receive and coordinate l.

with different types of locking mechanism tu carriedby the trailer.

If the king-pin is in a folded or a horizontal osition as shown inFigures 1 and 2 of the rawings, it must be manually brought4 to anupright position to coordinate with the (coordinating. locking mechanismof the trailer.

To accomplish this, the operator retracts the latch-bolt 31 by theoperation of the lever 38, thereby clearing the channel passage 3seeFigure 1. The operator then grasps the end of the king-pin 5 V'raisingit to an upright position or until the projecting shoulder 17 oftheking-pin contacts with the positioning semi-circular wall 4 at the endof the channel-like passage,-see Figure 3.

The lever 38 being thenxreleased,the latch bolt 31 is returned bythespring 34 to its initial position that it may engage or lock the kin-pin 5.

incident with locking the king-pin by .the latch 31, the spring actuatedbolt or bar v26 registers with the tapered hole 28 in the sleeve 15,`andpassing through the tapered hole enters the peripheral groove ,25 of thef drive pin 20.

The telescoping drive-pin 20 is now locked and ready to automaticallyactuate a spirally grooved driving shaft 20"-see Figures 5 and10--adapted to actuate the supporting leg B andthe coupling mechanism ofa semi-trailer shown in and described in v Patents N o.I 41,686,698,October 9th, 1928; No. 1,753,011, April 1st, 1930; No. 1,781,399,November 11th 1930;y andl No. l4,774,894, September 2nd, issued toCharles H. Land. v

There are conditions however L when the drive '-pin 20,--required foractuating this well-known trailer mechanism, is not necessary to effecta. coupling relation with the type of trailer to which it is to becoupled.

' Under said last named conditions, the kingpin is raised to a verticalposition however as previously described,-the locking bar-bolt 26 beingthen withdrawn from the groove 25 and thepin 2O forced downwardlyagainst the action of the spring-22 until the groove 24 registers withthe hole 28, in the sleeve.

pin 20 when 'used for driving purposes is pin 23,-contactf' controlledby a' transverse ing with the shaft 18.

a trailer havin a dependent king-pin-see Figure 64and he king-pin on theffthwheel has been locked in an upright position,it is' When it isdesired to couple-the tractor to necessary to ilirst retract the lockinglatch 31 from the channel passage 3 by manually operating the lever 38.I

The king-bolt being thus released is then automatically rocked bythesplring 29 through the channel opening v3 in t e tilting table 1 to anout-of-the-way position,-lim

' gage in notch 1*. Therefore when the kingpin of the trailer contactswith'l the semi-circular wall 4, the latch 31 will return, locking theking-pin in coupling engagement with the trailer. i

To uncouple the tractor from a trailer having a dependent king-pin, thelever 38 is pulled until the edge of the lever is caught in the notchlb-see Figures 1 and 4-forrned by the downwardly projecting rim 16 ofthe tilting tableg-the expansion spring 44 holding itin the notch untilreleased,see Figure 6.

The lever 38 being yoked and pinned to the turnable trip pin 31 may beswung and rocked to any requiredposition. rllhe lever therefore isemployed to retract the latch/31 against the action of the coil spring34, and when held by the notch 1b, the tractor may be driven away fromthe trailer carrying a dependent king-pin.

When the front end of the trailer passes the rocking center line of thefifth wheel of the tractor, it tends to depress the tilting table of thefifth wheel rearwardly until the depending flared walls 50u of the fifthwheel contact with the supporting plate 43 of the tractor, see Figure 2.1

The projecting trip pin 41 contacts with the plate 43 just before thewalls 50 l are seated upon the supporting plate. 'Fhe weight `of thetrailer forces the trip pin 41 use in conjunction with the coupling andleg controlling mechanism disclosed in said application, and asindicatedrat A in Figure 11 of the present application and also in the:previously recited patents.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination with a rigidly secured fifth wheel of a tractoradapted for connecting the'itractor to different types of semitrailersequipped with supporting legs; a folding king-pin pivoted to the rigidlysecured fifth wheel, adapted to "engage a coordinating vcoupling meanscarried by the.

trailer; a lock carried by the fifth wheel for supporting said king-pinin operative position to effect -a coupling relation with the couplingmeans of a trailer.

2. ln combination with a rigidly secured fifth wheel of a tractoradapted for connecting the tractor to different types of semif trailersequipped with legs adapted to support the end of the trailer whendetached from the tractor; a folding king-pin piv-` oted to the rigidlysecured fifth Wheel of the tractor, for engaging a coordinating couplingmeans carried by the trailer; a spring actuated latch carried by thelfifth wheel for supporting said king-pin in operative position teeffect a coupling relation with the coupling means of the trailer, saidspring `actuated latch being also adapted to secure a king-pin carriedby the trailer in coupling relation with the tractor, upon first foldingthe king- Vpin pivoted to the rigidly secured fifth wheel of the tractorinto an inoperative position.

3. ln Icombination with the tilt`able' fifth wheel of a tractor; afolding king-pin adapted when manually raised to couple the tractor witha coordinating coupling means carried by a trailer; a spring actuatedklatch for mainupwardly thereby releasing the lever 38 from the engagingshoulder 1" on the rim of the tilting table-#see Figure 6. 'llhe latch31 is then returned to its normal position in the channel passage 3 bythe action of the coil spring 34, ready'for another coupling operation.

llf the latchF 31 is left in a retracted posi'- tion prior to a couplingoperation, the contact of the trailer upon coupling will trip the latchahead of the final position of the l dependent king-pin.

taining said king-pin in an upright position that it may engage thecoupling means of la trailer; a lever connected with the spring actuatedlatch for releasing the latch, whereby the tractor and trailer whencoupled together may be disconnected, and the folding ,I

king-pin shifted to a non-coupling position and means for securing saidlever, whereby the spring actuated latch may be held in its retractedposition until released.

4. lin combination with a tiltable fifth wheel of a tractor, a foldingking-pin pivoted between spaced Walls depending from the underside ofthe fifth wheel, forming a channel through which the king-pin of thetractor -may swing from a horizontal inoperative to an upright operativeposition; a spring actuated latch carried by the tractor for maintainingthe king-pin in an upright position for entering into coupling relationwith the coordinating coupling means of a trailer; a leverfor retractingthe spring actuated latch; means for securing said lever whereby the(spring actuated latch may be held in its retracted position untilreleased; and a depending spring actuated tripping pin carried by thefifth wheel and connected with the end of the lever, whereby the fifthwheel upon tilting under the weight ofthe trailer forces the trippingpininto contact with the tractor frame, thereby automatically relesingthe lever and the spring actuated latc In combination with the fifthwheel of a tractor; a folding king-pin adapted for engagement with acoordinating coupling and braking mechanism of` a semi-trailer; atelescoping driving pin fitted in a bore in the king-pin; asprlngsleeved in the bore of the' `king-pin, adapted to force thedriving-pin outwardly to the limit of its movement; means for securingsaid driving pin respectively in an outward and in a retracted position;means for securing the king-pin in an elevated coupling position; andmeans for automatically rocking said king-pin when released from anelevated coupling position to a non-coupling position.

6. In combination with the fifth wheel of a tractor; a folding king-pinpivoted to the fth wheel adapted for coupling a semitrailer to thetractor; a telescoping driving bolt fitted in a bore of the king-pin; aspring sleeved in the king-pin adapted to force the driving boltoutwardly that it may enter intol engagement` with a coordinatingspirally grooved driving shaft of the trailer; means for maintainingsaidfolding king-pin in an elevated coupling position; and a spring adaptedto rock said king-pin from an elevated coupling position to asubstantially horizontal non-coupling position. v

7. In a co-ordinating coupling means for tractor-trailers wherein thetrailer is equlpped with supportinglegs movable to a non-supportingposition when coupled to a.

tractor and to a supporting position when released from couplingrelation with the tractor, actuated through the rotation of a spirallygrooved driven shaft journaled in the frame of the trailer; a fifthwheel; a folding king-pin pivoted to the fifth wheel having a springactuated telescoping drive-pin, whereby upon raising the king-pin froman inoperative to an operative position, said telescoplng drive-pin mayenter the spiral groove of the `driven shaft to rotatablyv actuate saidshaft upon backing the tractor into the trailer, to raise saidsupporting legs, and to lower said legs bv a reverse rotation of theshaft upon withdrawing the tractor from coupling relation with thetrailer; and means for securing said. drive-pin in a .projected orretracted posltion.

8. In' combination with the fifth wheel'of a tractor for connecting thetractor to different types of semi-trailers equipped with l supportinglegs movable to a non-supporting position when coupled to the tractor; afoldcoupling relation with the tractor, upon first y folding theking-pin of the tractor into an inoperative osition.

9. In com ination with the fifth wheel of a tractor for connecting thetractor to different types of semi-trailers equipped with supportinglegs movable to a non-supporting position when coupled to the tractor; afolding king-pin pivoted to the fifth wheel adapted to engage acoordinating coupling means carried by the trailer; aspring actuatedlatch having a wedge-shaped end carried by the fifth wheel forsupporting said king-pin in operative position to effect a couplingrelation with the coupling means of a trailer, said spring actuatedlatch being also adapted to secure a king-pin carried by the trailer incoupling relation with the tractor when retracted by the thrust of thetrailer kingpin upon the wedge-shaped end of the latch, the king-pin ofthe tractor having been first shifted into an inoperative position.

10. In combinatlon with a rockable fth Wheel of a tractor,adapted forcoupling said tractor to different'types of trailers; a lock carried bythe fifth wheel of the tractor, adapted to effect a coupling engagementwlth a coupling element carried by a trailer; a lever for releasing thelock; ymeans for securing said lever, whereby the lock is held retracteduntil-released; tripping means carried by the fifth wheel, adapted torelease said lever, actuated by the weight of the trailer in couplin anduncoupling the tractor.

11. In com ination with a rigidly-securedl fifth wheel of a tractoradapted to connect the tractor to different types of semi-trailers;

va movable king-pin pivoted to the rigidly se- -trailer iny couplingrelation with the tractorl upon first folding the king-pin of thetractor into an inoperative position. l

In testimony whereof, we sign this specifcation.

CHARLES H. LAND.

WILLIAM H. ,WILSONy

